Ranking Member Johnson Honors the Service of Gabriel “Gabe” Zimmerman
(Washington, DC) – Today, the House of Representatives considered House Resolution 364, designating room HVC 215 of the Capitol Visitor Center as the "Gabriel Zimmerman Meeting Room.”
On January 8, 2011, a gunman opened fire outside of a grocery store where Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) was holding a “Congress on your Corner” event in Tucson, Arizona. Six people were killed and 13 people were wounded.
One of the victims, Mr. Gabriel “Gabe” Zimmerman, Ms. Giffords’ Director of Community Outreach, was the first Congressional staffer to be murdered in the performance of his official duties.
Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) offered the following statement for the record:
“The role of Congressional staff is an important one in helping all Members carry out our responsibilities, but it is a role too often not acknowledged. It is fitting that we pause today to honor one such staffer, Gabriel “Gabe” Zimmerman, who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving this Congress and this nation. Gabe was the first, and hopefully the last Congressional staffer to be murdered in the performance of his official duties when he was shot staffing Rep. Gabrielle Giffords at a constituent event in her district. Six other people were killed and 13 were wounded, including Rep. Giffords and two other Congressional staffers.
By all accounts, Gabe was a kind and dedicated young man who worked tirelessly to improve the lives of the people in the 8th District of Arizona. He was a former social worker who assisted troubled youth, an athlete who loved the outdoors, a beloved son and brother, and he was engaged to be married. His life was cut far too short. I am pleased that we are making this small tribute to him today.
Our hearts go out to Gabe’s family and friends, to Ranking Member of the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee, Gabrielle Giffords, during her recovery, and to all those impacted by that horrible tragedy.”
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